Make Them Proud
by CourtneyEllen
Summary: In which Neville uses the Sorting Hat's one request sorting.


For QLFC, A character has been placed in a different House to canon

Word Count: 1,078

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"Neville Longbottom!"

The brunet boy froze at the call of his name. He knew his name was coming up, Sue Li having gone right before him, but it still did not take away from the surprise of actually hearing his name called out.

Gran had been so sure that he was going to end up as a Squib, his great uncle Algie had endangered his life in hopes of scaring the magic out of him. Both were overjoyed when the official Hogwarts letter appeared on Neville's eleventh birthday. Although he met their wishes, there was no erasing the damage they had caused with their hurtful words and actions throughout his life. So, even though he spent all of his life in the Wizarding World, standing in the Great Hall of Hogwarts waiting to be sorted by _the_ Sorting Hat was something out of his wildest imagination.

"Mr. Longbottom!"

Neville jumped as the voice startled him out of his thoughts and a nudge from the boy next to him (a loud-mouthed Irish boy that had laughed at him when he could not find Trevor) got him moving. He stumbled up to the ragged hat and offered the stern woman a shy half-smile. Her lips pursed further at him before indicating at the hat once more. Neville hesitantly stepped closer to the stool and took a seat on it when the hat was lifted. Wincing as it creaked, he stared back fearfully at his classmates. He would be a member of one of their houses in a few minutes, would they even like him?

The brunet boy gulped as the hat was lowered on his head, catching a few of the other first years tittering at his fearful expression before his vision was blocked by the ragged hat.

_I object to being called ragged!_

Neville's eyes widened under the Hat as an unfamiliar voice filled his head. Odd, it sounded like the Sorting Hat song.

_I sure hope so since I made up the song._

"You can talk?" Neville felt stupid for talking out loud to a hat, but he figured that everyone else had asked the same when he could practically hear the eye roll in his head.

_Well, of course! How would I be able to find the perfect house for Hogwarts students if I could not talk?_

"That's brilliant! So, uh, how's your sorting going so far?" Neville asked awkwardly, fidgeting on the stool. The Hat had cut off his sight and hearing from the rest of the room around him so he was not sure how loud he was talking. He bit his lip as the Hat chuckled in his head.

_I was sure you would fit in Gryffindor, but it seems that your friendliness fits for Hufflepuff… hmmm._

Neville felt fear grip his heart at the mention of Gryffindor. It was the house of his parents, both were so brave. And Neville... was not, he had nothing on them. There was no way he could fit in Gryffindor. He would dishonor them. Well, at least more than he already had according to his Gran and great uncle Algie.

"Not Gryffindor, please."

_And why not Gryffindor? Home of the brave and courageous, I see a lot of nerve within you. You will not disappoint your parents. I sorted them as well, you know. Both were rather brave._

"I am not brave like them…I am barely a wizard. Please don't put me in a house that I won't fit in," Neville begged, clutching the fabric of his robes. He could feel tears prickling his eyes and shame filling his body. He did not want to disappoint anyone anymore. He wanted to learn magic and make his Gran proud. Make his parents proud, even if they could not show their appreciation. The Hat made a humming noise in his head as it deliberated with itself.

_Seems like you should be taught about self-worth, Mr. Longbottom._

Neville flushed at the statement, having never had someone directly say something so bold to him before.

_Augusta Longbottom will not be happy with my choice, but she will learn to accept it._

"What choice?"

_You are friendly and patient, she will learn to accept you as a_ "HUFFLEPUFF!"

Neville startled as the Hat screamed out for the whole hall to hear. He got up swiftly and began to make his way blindly towards the table, a course of laughter ringing in his ears now that the Hat was finished its deliberation.

"The hat, !" Professor McGonagall called after him, stopping him before he could get too far. He sheepishly pulled the hat off his head and returned it to the stool before hurrying off to the Hufflepuff table.

Taking notice that his once black-tie now had yellow stripes, he could feel a sense of contentment settle in his chest. He did not have to live up to his parents and eventually disappoint them in the years to come. Gran would not be happy that he was not following in the footsteps of his parents, more specifically his father, but Neville could not be bothered by that now. He was relieved that he was not in Gryffindor or Slytherin. He shivered at the thought.

"Hey there, I'm Hannah Abbott," the blonde girl next to him introduced herself, holding out a hand for him to shake. Neville froze, having never spoken to a girl (besides the Granger girl on the train) before let alone a pretty girl like this Hannah Abbott.

"Nev," he paused to clear his throat and to stop his voice from trembling, "Neville Longbottom," he introduced, shaking her hand. She smiled softly at him, a lot kinder than any expression he had gotten from his family over his lifetime. He found himself smiling back to her. Maybe the Hat was right.

The two of them watched the rest of the sorting took place, with the famous Harry Potter being sorted in Slytherin much to the surprise of everyone and the outrage of Gryffindor. Neville felt pity for the other boy, he did not want to be placed in the snakes. Especially not with the dirty looks that some of the older students were shooting him. All thoughts of Harry Potter disappeared when the food appeared and Neville let himself be swept away into the great feast.

Before he went to bed that night, Neville thanked the Sorting Hat for considering his decision. He would do well in Hufflepuff, he knew it.


End file.
